Ghosts
by generalquistis
Summary: After Advent Children. Cloud is Dead, but leaves something for Rufus. Together with Aerith, he guides Tifa to what they deem would make her happy finally.


Ghosts

by General Quistis

Disclaimer: I don't own Advent Children, I don't own Tifa, I don't own Aerith and Cloud… and I definitely do not own Rufus ShinRa. I don't own Final Fantasy 7 either… or any of its characters and I have no intention of claiming them. This is just a fanfic. Suing me for violation of copyright law will just be a waste of time and money for you.

Author's Note: This story has references to Advent Children.

OoOoOoOoO

_Coz all of the stars_

_Are fading away_

_Just try not to worry_

_You'll see them some day_

_Take what you need_

_And be on your way_

_And stop crying your heart out_

_We're all of us stars_

_We're fading away_

_Just try not to worry_

_You'll see us some day_

_Just take what you need_

_And be on your way_

_And stop crying your heart out_

_Stop crying your heart out_

_--_Stop Crying Your Heart Out by Oasis

oOoOoOoOoOo

"Where am I going and what am I going to do there?" Tifa Lockheart was thinking quietly as she walked closer to the Healin Lodge one starry evening. As she neared the place, she began to recall...

XoXoX

Cloud is dead.

"He's probably happy where he is right now so... the least we could all do is... move on." Tifa could recall Barret telling them that on the evening of Cloud's death after the final battle with Kadaj and his gang.

Tifa just sat still, staring into empty space while mindlessly clutching her left arm where a pink ribbon is tied around it. "He's... dead... and he won't be coming back... just like Aerith..." she was stopping herself from crying. She had tried so hard just to be friends with Cloud, supporting him all throughout the two years that he had been lonely from Aerith, but those efforts had all been misinterpreted by everyone...maybe even Cloud himself. At the moment, she felt so dismayed about her life and she did not know what to do and how to start moving on again, this time without her two best friends ever.

She wished that the least Cloud and Aerith could've done before they left would be to tell her how to move on. But she still didn't have the answers.

"But at least we won... right?" Cid asked convincingly during that evening.

But Tifa didn't want to listen anymore. She just wearily went upstairs to the children's bedroom to see if Denzel was doing alright. Upon arriving there, she saw the child sitting on the bed holding a drawing.

She forced a smile at him. "Denzel, you're still awake?" she asked.

The boy slowly turned to her and stared curiously at her. She noticed the drawing that he was holding. "Did you draw that?" she asked, approaching him and examining the drawing. The boy handed her the drawing and she realized that it was Cloud... hugging a girl with brown hair wearing a pink dress. Tifa's smile faded in surprise as she realized who it was... but how did Denzel know?

"I had a dream. I just woke up..." Denzel explained with a glum tone before lying down on the bed again. "I thought the dream was beautiful so I drew it." he said before closing his eyes again. Soon, he was asleep, making Tifa puzzled. She looked up at the ceiling with a weak smile on her face, "Cloud and Aerith, don't you guys go haunting this place, alright?" she whispered.

A picture frame fell off from the wall and crashed to the floor. She gasped and just rushed out of the room, going downstairs again to where Vincent, Barret, Cid, Yuffie and Marlene were all gathered together.

They stared curiously at her and at the drawing. "You okay?" Barret asked, seeing the frightened look on her face.

She placed her hands behind her back, hiding the drawing. "Oh... something just... gave me a fright... Yeah... heh heh..." she fibbed. "A cockroach, actually," she explained, feeling so cold.

"Cockroach eh? Where's the #$ creature! I'm gonna kill it!" Cid said as he rushed upstairs with his spear. Before anybody else could ask her questions, she just rushed outside the house.

Once Tifa was outside, she did not feel cold anymore... and the eerie feeling she felt in the bedroom

was gone. She sighed in relief and waved a fist towards the heavens, but she was smiling playfully. "Nice going, you two..." she was thinking to herself before turning back to the drawing that she got from Denzel. She stared at it with a solemn look on her face as she felt her eyes welling up with tears.

She shuddered and turned the paper over... and saw something written there. They seemed to be some notes taken down by Cloud in random order, and at the topmost part of the paper, she saw "To Rufus."

Frowning slightly, she carefully read the notes. They talked about JENOVA, the Promised Land, Reunion and plans on changing the world. The writings about the Promised Land made her think... and she realized that it was something that Cloud had just found out for himself and did not reveal to the others... and she turned to the name on the topmost part of the paper again: "Rufus".

XoXoX

"Hey, nice to see you, Miss Lockheart!" Reno greeted once she got inside the building. Tifa forced a smile at Reno and then turned to Rude, then to Elena, who were both staring curiously at her. "How are things getting along in your place?" Elena asked.

"Wh...what do you mean? Everything's alright." Tifa responded with a perplexed look on her face as she held the paper tightly behind her back.

"Well... we know you've suffered a big loss..." Elena replied.

"And the President would like to extend his condolences to you and to your friends. However, he's not in the condition to do so at the moment." Reno told her.

"Why not just send a letter or give me a ring? The lines are always open." Tifa said.

"He would like to do it personally, Miss Lockheart." Reno responded.

Silence.

"Well... I'm here... maybe he can tell me all about it. Besides, I have something to give to him." Tifa replied.

"What is it?" Elena asked curiously.

"It's... from Cloud. I think he and Rufus were discussing about... something... before he died." Tifa replied with a slight smile on her face.

"Oh... yeah..." Reno replied before turning away from her and motioned for her to follow him. He led the way to the President's room upstairs, with Rude and Elena trailing after Tifa.

"This is the first time you've been here, huh?" Elena asked her with a kind smile on her face.

"Y...yes." Tifa replied uneasily. "Are you sure it's alright if I... come in without being scheduled first?" she asked, knowing about Rufus's temper.

"Oh it's alright. He doesn't really expect much visitors these days because of his condition... but since what you have there is related to his business..." Reno began.

"I can just give you the paper and you give it to him." Tifa said, showing him the paper with the

drawings.

The Turks stopped to stare at the drawing. "That?" Reno asked in awe.

"Oh... sorry." she turned it over and showed them the scribbles, but pulled it away from their gazes before they could start reading it. "For the President's eyes only." she stated flatly.

Shrugging, Reno led the way again. Once they reached the door of Rufus's room, Rude and Elena opened the door for Tifa. Once she stepped inside, Reno told her, "That thing looks private. I'll let you deal with him alone. Just yell if you need anything." he said with a wink before shutting the door.

Tifa wasn't able to react any further to Reno because she instantly saw Rufus seated on his wheelchair still covered with a lot of white blankets. He had his back to her as he was watching the stars outside the window... but he was unveiled.

"Is that you, Rude?" Rufus asked with a stiff tone.

Tifa hesitated for a while before answering. "...n...no. It's ... Tifa. Tifa Lockheart."

She saw him jerk slightly and instantly wheeled himself around to face her. He stared wide-eyed at her in disbelief.

She gaped at him in awe. He is still infected with Geostigma... but his face still looked perfectly fine... but something had changed in his eyes... his eyes looked more vulnerable now. It's like you can easily read his emotions just by looking into his blue eyes... unlike before when they appeared so cold.

Noticing that she had been staring at him, he hesitantly reached for his other blanket to cover his head. Soon his face was out of sight for her, being shadowed by the blanket. "What have you come here for?" he asked with an authoritative tone.

She bit her lower lip, swallowing hard, and then approached him, handing him the paper while making it a point to avoid looking at him even in a glance. "I believe this is addressed for you." she told him.

"From?" he asked, staring ridiculously at the drawing... and then he stiffened. His eyes narrowed at the drawing. "Oh yes... my condolences, Miss... Tifa." he told her with a low tone.

She blinked and turned over the paper for him. What he read surprised him.

Tifa looked around the room while waiting for him to finish reading the notes that Cloud had taken down for him. The room was quite big, but it smelled like medicine... something like the ones she gives to Denzel at home.

And speaking of Denzel...

"I'd... better leave now. I just sneaked out to give this to you because I know that my friends won't let me leave the house at this hour." she said with a weak smile on her face before turning away from him.

He was still reading but he told her, "No, stay here for a while. There's still so much more I'd like to know..."

She frowned. The last time she heard that last sentence, it was a trap. Why should she trust him now?

She turned back to face him again. "You'd like to know about what?" she asked.

"Why do you have to go home already?" he asked.

"I... have to take care of... Denzel." she replied uneasily.

He put down the paper and looked up at her. "Is he the boy with Geostigma?" he asked. She blinked. "Y...yes, sir." she told him.

He turned the paper over again and stared at the drawing. Tifa smiled upon seeing the drawing again. "Denzel said that he had a dream like that... and he thought it was beautiful so he drew it there. He must've been unaware that it's a scratch paper." she said uneasily.

"A dream?" he asked curiously.

She nodded and continued, "How did you know about Denzel?" she asked.

"Cloud told me during one of our conversations." Rufus explained stiffly before wheeling himself towards his bed and placed the paper on top of it. "I don't really know how to reach you because the only mobile phone number I know of is Cloud's. I told Reno to contact you via landline but he said that your line got disconnected..." he said.

"I'm... sorry. I wasn't able to pay the phone bill for the past few weeks because of the commotion." she explained.

He nodded. "It's alright, Miss Tifa. So let me extend my grievances and condolences to you and your friends. Cloud was very special to you, I believe?" he asked... although she easily noticed the stiffness in his tone. She could not determine whether he was being sarcastic or not, but she just nodded. "Yes, he was a very special friend... he and Aerith." she choked out and then looked down. Her hands were clenched into fists as she was trying to fight the urge to cry all of a sudden.

"Are you alright?" he asked.

She was surprised at his question. "Rufus asking me if I'm alright? That's... something new..." she thought to herself. She just decided to change the subject. "So... you've decided to... regain your position as President... don't mind me asking but, what for?" she asked.

"I want to change things... to restore the world. I told Cloud about it. At first he refused to help but... I was able to convince him somehow, I guess." he told her.

"Restore the world?" she asked. He could easily sense the mockery in her tone, although she did not really mean to express her question in that manner. She covered her mouth and bowed down her head in shame. "I'm... sorry. I was jus surprised..." she apologized.

He was just quiet, bowing down his head.

They were quiet for some moments before she finally decided to leave. "I... really have to go...Thank you for your time, Mister President." she told him.

"Miss Lockheart." he began.

"Yes?" she asked.

He gestured for her with his right hand that she come closer to him. Not wanting to have any arguments with him, she obeyed. "Tell Reno that I'm instructing him and Elena to escort you back to Midgar. Get Denzel and bring him here to me." he told her.

She was surprised. "...I beg your pardon?" she asked in awe.

"Cloud and I... have discussed this in secret. He must've known that he'd be gone soon... he told me... strange things, rather..." he explained, feeling awkward about his current situation because he wasn't sure whether to reveal everything that they had talked about or not.

"What did... he say?" she asked, wanting to hear more as she knelt down before him, noticing that he was looking at her from under the shadows of the blanket over his head. He resembled so much of Cloud, except that Rufus seemed to always maintain a snobbish air around him even when he is sick... but unlike before, his eyes revealed now his true emotions. It must've been the work of his illness and all the sufferings he had been through with that illness.

"He asked me if I could take Denzel here and help him heal with me...and..." he trailed off.

Silence.

"...and?" she asked.

He just shook his head. "It's nothing important. Just leave now and get the boy and come back here." he told her.

They stared at one another for several moments, with him thinking about what he was still supposed to say but interrupted himself, and with her thinking about Cloud and Aerith all of a sudden and what the hell she was supposed to do with her life...

And they were interrupted when the paper fell off from the bed, as if someone pushed it off. It landed on the floor and flew towards them. Rufus suspected that it must've been the wind from outside.

"Blimey... must've left the window open again..." he thought out loud. But Tifa shivered and felt goosebumps on her skin...

"Eh...Well... alright..." she said softly as she got up rather uneasily, even if she was still curious about what else he was supposed to say. She looked past him towards the window... and saw that they were closed... and that two other people are being reflected on the glass, standing behind her.

Cloud and Aerith.

The latter smiled sweetly at her, while the former nodded his head with a slight smile on his face as if encouraging her to something...

She gasped and turned around. No one was there.

She blinked. "Do you believe in ghosts?" she blurted out in confusion.

"...depending on the situation..." he replied uneasily, surprised by the question.

She was quiet for a while before thinking things over... and she felt she got the message. With that, she stooped down before him until her face was leveled with his. "You know, you look perfectly fine. I don't know why you're still hiding under those covers. You're already healing." she said before she purposely shoved off the blanket off his head and quickly moved away before he could do something to her like maybe restrain her or something for doing that.

He just sat still, looking unbelievably at her.

She turned back to him as she got to the door. "I don't have to leave Denzel here, do I?" she asked.

"You can stay here if you want." he said.

And she smiled warmly before nodding her head. "Don't worry, President Rufus. I'll take care of you too." she told him.

He was surprised by what she told him but he just smiled slightly. "I guess this means a start of a good friendship between the two of us, Miss Lockheart?" he asked.

She shrugged. "Well... we'll see. You can start by calling me Tifa, President Rufus." she told him with a sweet smile on her face. Suddenly she felt like everything will be alright.

He raised his hand to her as if reprimanding her from something. She froze. "Did I say something wrong?" she thought nervously. He smiled slyly. "It's Rufus, Tifa." he corrected.

Silence.

She blushed slightly. "Oh... okay... Rufus... Heehee!" she giggled as she waved goodbye before she opened the door and stepped out of the room, leaving Rufus alone there. When she turned towards the hallway from the door, she gasped slightly when she saw Reno and Elena smiling goofily at her.

Silence.

"You guys were eavesdropping, weren't you?" she demanded calmly.

The two Turks just grinned.

Tifa blushed and led the way. "I'm sure you heard what Rufus said about you guys escorting me back to Midgar..." she muttered.

"Oh don't worry. It's just between the three of us..." Elena said with an innocent look on her face as she and Reno walked after her. As they went to the garage, Tifa could feel that everything was going to be alright now...

XoXoX

Rufus ShinRa wheeled himself towards the window when he heard the car engine start. Tifa's leaving with the two Turks but will be back later on.

He watched as the car sped away towards the direction of Midgar. He smiled slightly, "I didn't tell her that you wanted me to take care of her... Maybe later, Cloud." he mumbled softly as he watched the car disappear through the evening fog.

And he felt someone patting his left shoulder.

He turned his head to his side but saw no one. "I must be imagining things..." he thought to himself before turning back to the window and saw his own reflection on the glass.

His reflection?!

"I thought the windows were open..." he stopped his thoughts when he felt goosebumps rising on his skin. "Bloody hell..." he mumbled miserably, feeling cold all of a sudden as he heard the sound of paper flying towards him.

* * *

-end- 


End file.
